Weekend warrior cutting

[Southpaw198486]

Going to begin cutting quite a few dead trees off my property. By few I mean a small timbered area in nebraska that has not been maintained in a very long time. I will be taking dead trees out and cutting splitting and selling. What stihl will be best for me. I have been considering the farm boss. Thoughts, ideas, suggestions.

 

[Need2Saw]

welcome to the forum

Which farm boss ? What size are the trees?

 

[Southpaw198486]

welcome to the forum

Which farm boss ? What size are the trees?

Ms 290 farm boss 20 inch bar, we aren't talking about massive trees but some are pushing 3 to 3 1/2 feet trunks. Cottonwoods and oaks mostly

 

[Need2Saw]

that ms 290 will work fine for a weekend warrior. Ive been around a 290 that has cut more trees than i think it was designed to! Some were as big as you're describing.

Cutting with a smaller saw takes more work and will wear you out quicker than a fast cutting powerhouse saw,but they can do the job.
Have fun and be safe

 

[Southpaw198486]

Thank you for your input, this task will probably take me a couple years to complete but I am looking forward to the end result. Once I get on top of the maintenance it won't be bad at all. Are there any other saws you would recommend, I hear good things about stihl but I kinda want everybody's opinion before I drop that chunk of change. But anything will be better than what I have now.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I use a 290 as a ground saw. It works well, but if you are getting into some bigger wood, you may want a bigger saw. We have a 460 that would work well for you.

 

[Need2Saw]

Thank you for your input, this task will probably take me a couple years to complete but I am looking forward to the end result. Once I get on top of the maintenance it won't be bad at all. Are there any other saws you would recommend, I hear good things about stihl but I kinda want everybody's opinion before I drop that chunk of change. But anything will be better than what I have now.

Me personally would get a husky 555 and be done with it. Much better overall saw than a stihl ms 290. I'm not sure the price differences.

 

[Tree94]

If you're going to cut a 3 1/2' diameter trunk with the 290, you better slap a brand new chain on it cause its going to take for ever

 

[Zale]

While you are buying your saw, don't forget the hard hat, chaps and eye protection. I would go with the 460 with 24" bar.

 

[Canadian farm boy]

The ms290 would be a great saw for the smaller trees and cleaning up the tops of the larger trees. Honestly I would do what I could with the ms290 and once you have sold a few cords I would seriously look at investing some cash into a larger pro saw like a ms440 or ms460. Both these saws will pull a longer bar (32" or so) with authority. Lots of them for sale used at half the price of new. Check out the A.S. Trading post

 

[Southpaw198486]

The ms290 would be a great saw for the smaller trees and cleaning up the tops of the larger trees. Honestly I would do what I could with the ms290 and once you have sold a few cords I would seriously look at investing some cash into a larger pro saw like a ms440 or ms460. Both these saws will pull a longer bar (32" or so) with authority. Lots of them for sale used at half the price of new. Check out the A.S. Trading post

Ok, what is the recommended max bar length for the ms 291? I know it comes with a 20 inch bar. Could I get away with going a little longer.? I think I might just go the used route and buy a bigger saw that way. As much as I would like the feeling of putting the first scratch on, it's looking like I underestimated what size I "should" be using.

 

[Canadian farm boy]

I wouldn't run anything longer then 20" on a ms290.

 

[Skeans]

The 555 or 562 are a good option, I'm on the west coast but I run a 32" bar on my 562xpw and like it. Make sure if you're cutting larger timber then bar length you clean the faces out well.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Woos31]

I run a 36" and 32" on my MS 460 Mag with no issues what do ever. All I've done is cut baffle out of the muffler, cut the side of muffler out so it's same size as the spark screen, give er some more fuel, and hold on!! Might be getting close to a stock 660 for torque now but wouldn't hold my breath on that figure, she flat rips now even in super hard woods still pulls 32" and 36" easily. If you don't mind swinging the weight of a larger pro saw and long bar it would help you out with those larger diameter trees to reach most the way through with a single cut depending on your cutting experience, and cleaning face cuts like mentioned before. Good luck and safe cutting

 

[Uzi]

Hey welcome to the site. What part of NE are you in? I'm in cozad between Kearney and north platte. If you are tackling 36"+ trees regularly you will want something that will pull a bar bigger than 20" I'm not saying you can't get it done with a 20" but if you have to do many that way the proper sized saw will be so much faster. Something in the 70cc range would serve you great could pull a 32" nicely and drop to a 20" or 24" when you don't need the length. I run down to the eastern end of the state now and then and up north too. Thedford and valentine to Lincoln and Omaha. I've got bars up to 50" and a 100cc saw or 2. Also a bucket truck skid loader and dump trailer. If you need some help shoot me a PM.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I guess after you use all those suggestions, and find you would like a little more, look at a MS441 or a 372xp,
Jeff

 

[Southpaw198486]

Hey welcome to the site. What part of NE are you in? I'm in cozad between Kearney and north platte. If you are tackling 36"+ trees regularly you will want something that will pull a bar bigger than 20" I'm not saying you can't get it done with a 20" but if you have to do many that way the proper sized saw will be so much faster. Something in the 70cc range would serve you great could pull a 32" nicely and drop to a 20" or 24" when you don't need the length. I run down to the eastern end of the state now and then and up north too. Thedford and valentine to Lincoln and Omaha. I've got bars up to 50" and a 100cc saw or 2. Also a bucket truck skid loader and dump trailer. If you need some help shoot me a PM.

 

[Southpaw198486]

Grand island area! Thanks for advice.

 

[Marshy]

IMO over 3' is 70-80cc class of saw. Depending on how many trees you have that size I would be looking at a Husqvarna 365, 372, 562. By the way, there is a nice used 562 in the trading post as we speak for $500.

 

[computeruser]

Ok, what is the recommended max bar length for the ms 291? I know it comes with a 20 inch bar. Could I get away with going a little longer.? I think I might just go the used route and buy a bigger saw that way. As much as I would like the feeling of putting the first scratch on, it's looking like I underestimated what size I "should" be using.

You can ballpark things by aiming for a 3:1 ratio between engine displacement in cc and bar length in inches. 60cc - 20" bar, 90cc - 30" bar, etc.

A 290/291 is not going to be a great choice for burying a 20" bar in stuff. It certainly isn't going to be a good choice for any bar longer than that.

Sure, you can pull that Bobcat with a Ford Ranger in a pinch, but it's not the best choice. It's kinda the same way with going after bigger wood with a 290/291 saw.